With the growing use of various automated and electronic systems in hospitals, nursing homes and other institutions which include facilities for the treatment and administering of disabled individuals, there has been an increasing call for devices which allow a patient, though he may be severely handicapped, to operate such apparati as nurse calling systems, televisions, automatic reading machines and the like without the aid of another person.
In the past, a number of techniques have been utilized in order to enable severely handicapped individuals to operate such devices. For example, one widely used method involves a pneumatic arrangement for actuating a normally open or normally closed switch. In accordance with this technique, the handicapped person places a tube with a mouthpiece in his mouth and either blows or draws to displace a diaphragm sealing the other end of the tube. Movement of the diaphragm actuates a switch to achieve various control functions. However, this particular technique, though it does solve a number of problems, suffers from several disadvantages. For example, the use of a mouthpiece is far from sanitary and, in fact, makes it impossible for a machine to be used by different individuals without having an attendant change the mouthpiece. Still another disadvantage of this type of system is the rather unnatural condition which the user must maintain. Specifically, he must hold the mouthpiece in his mouth and maintain a good seal with his lips. Over extended periods of time the muscles of the jaw and lips will tend to tire, thus making use of the switch difficult and uncomfortable.
Still another technique employed to enable handicapped individuals to operate electrical equipment is the use of a pressure-operated foot switch. Suitable switches for this purpose are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,710,054, 3,715,541, 3,812,313 and 3,821,500. However, switches of this type suffer from a number of severe disadvantages. For example, a rather substantial amount of pressure is required in order to operate them. Their construction thus makes them suitable only for actuation by foot. Often, a handicapped person does not have the use of his feet and cannot use such a switch. Moreover, even if he does have the ability to move his feet he would be required to wear a shoe or similar protective covering for his feet because prolonged contact with the switch's hard surface causes irritation, discomfort and fatigue. Still another disadvantage of such switches is that they are not sanitary and serve to transmit germs from one patient to another.